Elks add three American players

CFL.ca Staff

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks have signed three American players, including linebacker Reynard Ellis, running back Justin Rankin and wide receiver Tony Tate, the team announced on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Tate spent the 2023 season with the Wroclaw Panthers in the European League of Football, where he recorded 895 receiving yards and ranked second in the league in touchdowns with 16 in 10 games.

The native of DeKalb, Ill., spent four seasons at Western Illinois University. As a senior he was named MVFC All-Academic First Team and All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Honorable Mention in 2021. In 37 career games for the Leathernecks, Tate totalled 157 receptions for 1,755 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Ellis appeared in 13 games for the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022, recording 53 total tackles. The Alabama product previously played at Georgia Southern University from 2019 to 2020, where he was a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection by Pro Football Focus and named Fourth-Team All-Conference by Phil Steele in 2020. Ellis also spent one season at Furman University in 2017 before sitting out the 2018 season per NCAA transfer rules.

Rankin is coming off a standout 2023 campaign in the Indoor Football League, where he was a big part of the Bay Area Panthers first IFL National Championship title, while finishing second in the league in both rushing yards (923) and touchdowns (45). The Ohio native has spent three seasons in the IFL, playing with the Frisco Fighters in 2022 and the Bismarck Bucks in 2021.

Collegiately, Rankin played for Northwest Missouri State in 2019, rushing for 1,050 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games for the Bearcats. He also spent three seasons at Kent State University from 2016 to 2018.

The Edmonton Elks will return to the field in 2024 for the club’s 75th CFL season.

Follow CFL